The present invention relates to a food press and especially to a hand-held food press, such as a garlic press.
Hand-held food presses, such as a garlic press, are well known in the art and typically comprise pivotally connected upper and lower handles. The lower handle is provided with a press chamber for receiving food items, such as a garlic clove. The upper handle is provided with a press foot that is positioned to engage the press chamber and crush the garlic clove when the upper and lower handles are rotated together. The bottom of the press chamber is provided with a pattern of holes that permit fluid and particles of crushed garlic to be ejected from the chamber. Alternatively, the bottom of the press chamber may be provided with a number of parallel blades for slicing the garlic clove, instead of a pattern of holes.
Users are often forced to own separate tools for crushing or slicing garlic. In addition, separate implements must also be used for cleaning food particles or other debris trapped in the holes or between the blades of the press chamber. Thus, it is desirable to have a single food press that performs multiple functions, such as a combination of crushing and slicing functions, and that has a single implement for cleaning either the holes or blades of the press chamber.